Julian Plenti - "Games for Days"

We received the lead single for Julian Plenti's "Is...Skyscraper" today. Julian Plenti is the alias of Interpol front man, post-punk revivalist, and all-around moper Paul Banks. In 2002, they were hipster darlings; Turn on the Bright Lights received universally positive reviews (especially from Pitchfork), their videos were in rotation on MTV2 (yes, at one point it wasn't all just "Rob and Big" and "Viva La Bam" reruns, for a couple years they played videos regularly), and their songs were all over TV shows like Friends and The OC. I was an early supporter, and was one of the few people I knew who wasn't completely disappointed in their 2004 lukewarm follow up Antics. My main complaint was that the reverb and echo drenched atmosphere of the debut was refined somewhat, and put in the background. The angular, almost British late 1970s/early 1980s guitar-sound dominates the album and, of course, the band's backbone, Carlos Dengler's bass playing is still very much in the forefront. This isn't to say the ominous but familiar tone of TotBL was completely lost, it just didn't seem as important. Again, I stress that I wasn't completely disappointed. At the end of today, like with any record, it's the songs that count. The band got bigger, and moved onto to greener pastures, leaving indie stalwart Matador for Capitol records. Their first release on Capitol, 2007's Our Love to Admire didn't feature their usual mopery and was a little, well, brighter. It sold well, really well actually, but didn't achieve the same level of praise as their first two records, but was still relatively well received (I wasn't a big fan of that record. They just sounded too complacent).

So, since 2007, drummer Sam Fogarino started a side project (Magnet Morning) with the dude from Swervedriver, bassist Carlos Dengler continues to DJ on the side as well as provide remixes for other band's stuff, and guitarist Dan Kessler is apparently just kind of laying low. That leaves Banks. Earlier this year, his solo album (to be released under the name Julian Plenti, an alias he apparently used to perform under pre-Interpol) was announced. Very few details were given, aside from a cover and a track listing.

Well not anymore.

"Games for Days" didn't do a whole lot for me. It doesn't sound too distant from Interpol's work to warrant a release under a different name. The radio edit clocks in at 3:49, so to be fair, I might be missing a bitching guitar solo or some profound lyrics from an excised bridge. The song isn't bad just kind of boring. It features that sort of post-punk guitar sound Interpol's been at for years, although grainier and lacking in reverb. The occasional punchy, muted, almost chugging from the guitars isn't really my thing either. Seems out of place. The fluid, throbbing bass provided by Dengler on the Interpol albums is also absent. It may be the stereo I'm using, but that was the first thing I noticed. The lack of a thumping bassline. The basslines were usually my favorite part of Interpol songs. The song has almost a dance pop drum beat with the drums themselves sounding a little less than organic. Major emphasis on the bass drum too. It feels too much like a retread of Interpol's material, without the sunglasses, black suits, and cigarette smoke that made their first album such a highlight. This is only one song though, and from the information I've been able to find on the album (which is limited, I could only find a couple early reviews) the album is split between this sort of rock stuff and a more thoughtful, solo acoustic performance. Time will tell.

Julian Plenti - "Games for Days" 2.5/5

Julain Plenti is...Skyscraper will be available August 4th from Matador Records

Sunday Night Special

Hey everyone, Vitamin J could not do his show this week, so I filled in. A little later than my usual time slot, I played "night music" for any night people who may have been listening. None of the usual bed music or good time rock and roll. Just me talking over noise. I think two hours of drone, noise, and ambient music was enough to drive my listenership away. I could hear the radios being turned off over the walls of feedback. Lame. Anyway, here's what I played:

** = new

#. title - artist - album - label - year (this is specific or vague as the information I have at hand)

1. The Wandering Stranger - Nick DeWitt - Supernatural Punishment EP - Teenage Teardrops **

2. B - Ecstatic Sunshine - WAY - Cardboard - 2008

3. Hung From the Moon - Earth - The Bee Made Honey in the Lion's Skull - Southern Lord - 2008

4. The Desert Has Eyes - Natural Snow Buildings - Snowbringer Cult - Students of Decay - 2008

5. Mass Mirage - Yellow Swans - At All Ends - Load - 2007

6. Palm - Pocahaunted - Passage - Troubleman Unlimited**

7. Untitled [track 2]- Raccoo-oo-oon - Raccoo-oo-oon - Not Not Fun - 2008

8. All Channels Open (excerpt)- The Dead C - Vain, Erudite, and Stupid: Selected Works: 1987-2005 - BaDa Bing - 2006

9. Empty Table - Robedoor - Rancor Keeper

10. Underwater Mountains - Emeralds - Allegory of Allergies - Weird Forest

11. Miranda - Slowdive - Pygmalion - 1995

12. My Clown - Belong - Colorloss Record - St. Ives Recordings - 2008

13. When I Live by the Garden and the Sea - Eluvium - When I Live by the Garden and the Sea - Temporary Residence - 2006

July 22nd 2009: Fuuuuuuuuuuuudge

So I saw Abe Vigoda and Talbot Tagora on Sunday. Good times. Both bands were rad and a bunch of nice dudes. I talked to Juan from Abe Vigoda and I'm trying to set up an interview. We'll see if it actually happens. Unfortunately, the CD player did not want to play my copy of Sonic Youth's Sonic Nurse as I wanted to end the show with "Peace Attack". Lame. Here's the rest of the playlist.

** = new

#. title - artist - album - label - year (this is specific or vague as the information I have at hand)

1. ...And the Hazy Sea - Cymbals Eat Guitars - Why There Are Moutains - self released **
2. Replacing the Northwest - Talbot Tagora - Lessons in the Woods or a City - Hardly Art **

3. Everything's Gone Green - New Order - Substance - Qwest - 1987
4. Procession - New Order - Substance - Qwest - 1987
5. Those Old Black and White Movies Were True - Eugene McGuinness - Eugene McGuinness - Domino **
6. House - Abe Vigoda - Reviver - Post Present Medium - 2009

7. Twilight Property - Tiny Vipers - Life on Earth - Sub Pop **
8. The Waves at Night - Phosphorescent - Pride - Dead Oceans - 2007
9. Late Lunch - Sean Smith - Sacred Crag Dancer, Corpse Whisperer - Thompkins Square - 2006

10. Dwrcan - Bibio - Ambivalence Avenue - Warp **
11. An Optimist Declines - David Grubbs - An Optimist Notes the Dusk - Drag City - 2008
12. Cryin' Smoke - Ganglians - Monster Head Room - Woodsist **
13. Lisztomania - Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix - Glassnote **
14. Ricecar of Dr. Clara Haber - Magik Markers - Balf Quarry - Drag City **

15. Green Starred Sleeve - UUVVWWZ - UUVVWWZ - Saddle Creek **
16. Souvenirs - Midnight Movies - Lion the Girl - New Line Records - 2007
17. Hooks & Ladders - The Individuals - Fields/Aquamarine - Bar/None - 2008
18. Forces at Work - The Feeelies - Crazy Rhythms - 1980

Boom. Done.

Oops, forgot to Post this: July 15th 2009

** = new

#. title - artist - album - label - year (this is specific or vague as the information I have at hand)

1. Red Light Love - Those Darlins - Those Darlins - Oh Wow Dang **
2. Voodoo - Ganglians - Monster Head Room - Woodsist **

3. Standing at the Station - Ty Segall - Lemons - Goner **
4. Lo and Behold - The Ettes - Danger Is - Take Root **
5. Trapezeus - UUVVWWZ - UUVVWWZ - Saddle Creek **
6. Approach the Throne - Clues - Clues - Constellation **
7. Divided - Cootie Platoon - PDX Pop Now! 2009 **

8. Fonz - Eugene McGuinness - Eugene McGuinness - Domino **
9. Caucasian Blues - Jarvis Cocker - "Further Complications" - Rough Trade **
10. Keeping Track - Superchunk - Foolish - Merge - 1994
11. Until Its Clear - Glenn Mercer - Wheels in Motion - Pravada - 2007
12. Vive Solo - Juana Molina - Un Dia - Domino - 2008

13. In June - Summer Cats - Songs for Tuesdays - Slumberland **
14. Sudden Organ - Yo La Tengo - Painful - Matador - 1993
15. I'm Insane - Sonic Youth - Bad Moon Rising - DGC - 1995 CD Reissue
16. Work All Day - Portugal. The Man - The Satanic Satanist - Equal Vision **
17. Antenna - Sonic Youth - The Eternal - Matador **

18. Jealous of Roses - Bibio - Ambivalence Avenue - Warp **

19. Development - Tiny Vipers - Life on Earth - Sub Pop **
20. Share - Cymbals Eat Guitars - Why There Are Mountains - self released **
21. Black Swan - Sunset Rubdown - Dragonslayer - Jagjaguwar **

July 8th 2009: Up on the Sun

Alrighty. Real good show tonight, a lot of fun. I strayed from the format a little, second song(s) I played is a little old, but it's new to me as I only picked it up at the Titus/Ted Leo show a couple weeks ago. We had some guests in the studio for part of the show. Chelsea showed up, stayed around for most of it and we have a rare, but welcome, appearance from Derek of Der Ohrwurm. I also had the opportunity to air my interview with Cris Kirkwood, bass player/singer of legendary cow-punks the Meat Puppets. Real nice dude. Very funny, very open about his past missteps, and all in all gave real good answers to my (dumb) questions. I also briefly mentioned the license plate below (part of a new segment here on Methanol Cereal known as "Stupid Plates") and hanging out in Brooklyn on the Fourth of July. I might post a couple of the better pictures if I get a little more motivated. We'll see. Aaaanyway, here's this week's stuff...

** = new

#. title - artist - album - label - year (this is specific or vague as the information I have at hand)

1. Suburban Beverage - Real Estate - Suburban Beverage 7" - Underwater Peoples **
2. Every Time I See the Light Part 1 & 2 - Titus Andronicus - Titus Andronicus 7" - Merok - 2008

3. Jap Dad - UUVVWWZ - UUVVWWZ - Saddle Creek **
4. Can't Talk - Ty Segall - Lemons - Goner **
5. Wendy Wonders - Eugene McGuinness - Eugene McGuinness - Domino **
6. Death - Vivian Girls - Moped Girls 7" - For Us **

7. Eyes Like Ours - Tiny Vipers - Life on Earth - Sub Pop **
8. Colour Television - Eddy Current Suppression Ring - Primary Colours - Goner - 2008
9. With a Girl Like You - Condo Fucks - Fuckbook - Matador - 2009
10. Enemy Love Song - Meat Puppets - Rise to Your Knees - Anodyne - 2007

Cris Kirkwood Interview

11. Up on the Sun - Meat Puppets - Up on the Sun - Rykodisc - 1999 Reissue
12. Climbing - Meat Puppets - Meat Puppets II - Rykodisc - 1999 Reissue
13. Sewn Together - Meat Puppets - Sewn Together - Megaforce **

14. Candy Girl - Ganglians - Monster Head Room - Woodsist **
15. Morning Lights - Glenn Mercer - Wheels in Motion - Pravada - 2007
16. Chains - Pocahaunted - Chains - Teenage Teardrops - 2008

SINNNER

July 4, 2009 11:26pm

July 1 2009: Canada Day!

Alright, fun show tonight. I got to honor some of Canada's best on the day of their... to be honest I'm not sure what Canada Day is all about. I'm under the impression it is tantamount to the July 4th Independence Day here in the 'States. Speaking of which, I think I'm going to be in Brooklyn for the Woodsist/Captured Tracks festival on 7/4 which sounds like a hell of a time. And of course, with Independence Day approaching fast, I had to play Galaxie 500 at the end of the show. Finally, tune in next week to hear me talk with Cris Kirkwood of the one, the only, the legendary Meat Puppets.

** = new

#. title - artist - album - label - year (this is specific or vague as the information I have at hand)

1. It #1 - Ty Segall - Lemons - Goner **
2. Moscow State Circus - Eugene McGuinness - Eugene McGuinness - Domino **

3. Four Night Rider - The Rural Alberta Advantage [Toronto, ON] - Hometowns - Saddle Creek **
4. I Should Be Born - Jets Overhead [Victoria, BC] - No Nations - Vapor Records **
5. Looks Just Like the Sun - Broken Social Scene [Toronto] - You Forgot it in People - Arts & Crafts - 2002
6. A Side Wins - Sloan [Toronto via Halifax, NS] - One Chord to Another - The Enclave - 1996
7. Feel.Love.Thinking.Of - Faunts [Edmonton, AB] - Feel.Love.Thinking.Of - Friendly Fire - 2009
8. Crooked Head - Fucked Up [Toronto] - The Chemistry of Common Life - Matador - 2008

9. Molly's Lips - The Vaselines - Enter the Vaselines - Sub Pop **
10. Shark Suit - UUVVWWZ - UUVVWWZ - Saddle Creek **
11. Arthritis Sux - The Coathangers - Scramble - Suicide Squeeze - 2009

12. Hot Pink - Meat Puppets - Up On the Sun - Rykodisc - 1999 Reissue
13. You Never Know - Wilco - Wilco (The Album) - Nonesuch **
14. The Number - Woods - Songs of Shame - Woodsist **
15. Two Doves - Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca - Domino **

16. Life on Earth - Tiny Vipers - Life on Earth - Sub Pop **
17. Howl - Tara Jane O'Neil - A Ways Away - K **
18. Dagger - Emily Jane O'Neil - Dark Undercoat - Double Negative - 2007

19. Old Clouds - Pterodactyl - Worldwild - Brah **

20. Fourth of July - Galaxie 500 - This is Our Music - Rykodisc - 1997 Reissue